This page outlines one step in the preparatory stage of the immPACC method. This is written for immPACC facilitators to use in training and for reference.

Assessing the Fit of immPACC for a Community

Before agreeing to do a session, consider if this is a good fit for the community. Some pieces to consider:

  1. Identify priorities and priority communities in your province
  2. Identify Community Engagement Lead
  3. Initial Assessment of Community Readiness
  4. Decide if immPACC is appropriate for this Community

Identify priorities in your province

Your province may have already highlighted communities or specific populations for the immPACC sessions, if so, engage with those to see if this is a good fit.

Identify Community Engagement Lead

immPACC only works well if you you can connect into the planning process and get a broad group of decision makers around the table. For that, you either have to know the community yourself or have a well connected and keen local Community Engagement Lead. This person can come from many places (e.g. primary care, public health, local government, First Nations).

Assess Community Engagement

With the Local Engagement Lead, ensure that there is a group of leaders that are willing to engage in an immPACC session. This might be an existing planning table where you can run immPACC. It is very important that you can build on some relationships in the community.

Decide if immPACC is appropriate for this Community

immPACC is not always the right tool for the job - and that is OK. Even after your initial engagement you might find that the community is not a good fit or not ready. If there are flags (e.g. no clear Local Engagement Lead, no table or set of working relationships already established), then immPACC may not be the best next steps.

While immPACC does engage and build relationships, it might be a useful second step if the community needs to do a bit more pre-work.

When meeting with the potential partner(s), here are some areas where immPACC can help a community:

  1. Vaccine uptake is lower than expected
  2. There are different barriers to equitable access to vaccine
  3. There are structural, cultural and historical concerns that may be impacting uptake of vaccine through existing programs